This type of hinged-lid pack is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. H11-49149, for example. The pack disclosed in the publication includes a box having an open end, contents of the box, and a lid for closing the open end of the box. The box has an inner frame which forms a front edge and right and left side edges of the open end of the box. The lid is connected to the rear edge of the open end by a self-hinge. The lid is swung about the self-hinge to uncover the open end of the box.
The contents, on the other hand, include a bundle of rodlike smoking articles and a wrapper wrapping the bundle therein.
Usually, the hinged-lid pack is wrapped in a transparent wrapping film with a tear tape. Thus, to open the pack, first, the wrapping film must be torn by means of the tear tape to expose the lid of the pack.
The wrapping film has a side seam extending along a side surface of the pack, and closed surfaces respectively covering the top and bottom of the pack. Each closed surface is formed by folding part of the wrapping film and has closure flaps superposed one upon the other. The closure flaps are bonded together by heat seal.
The seal strength of the closure flaps is relatively low, so that the closure flaps can be easily separated from each other. Since the closure flaps can therefore be unfolded and then refolded, there is a possibility that the closed surface is undesirably unsealed. Once the closed surface is unsealed, the lid of the pack can be freely opened and closed, allowing a person to tamper with the contents of the pack.
The wrapping film is effective in maintaining the quality of the rodlike smoking articles in the pack for a long period of time. This form of wrapping the rodlike smoking articles is, however, tripe wrapping requiring the wrapper for the contents, the blank, and the wrapping film, and such triple wrapping structure is excessive in view of the recent trend for saving resources.
Further, the lid of an ordinary pack is relatively small and, when opened, does not allow a substantial part of the contents of the box, that is, the rodlike smoking articles, to be exposed. Accordingly, it is not easy to take out a rodlike smoking article from the box.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a hinged-lid pack of which the rodlike smoking articles are not excessively wrapped, yet can be effectively prevented from being tampered with, and also can be taken out with ease, and a blank for the hinged-lid pack.